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Keeping it personal in a virtual world.

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As we learned from Inc. this week, there’s never been a better time for solopreneurs. Technology has enabled more individuals to strike out on their own, conducting business from home, coffee shops, and shared workspaces. The experience is liberating and exciting, but can also be isolating—particularly when you hit a brick wall. To help keep you motivated, we’ve got 20 tips on how to give yourself a boost and find inspiration when you’re in business for yourself.

When Bobby Fry opened his restaurant in 2010, he followed the traditional wage model, counting tips as part of total staff compensation. Dating back to Prohibition, this practice is one of the primary factors behind the high rate of turnover for the restaurant industry. Many restaurant owners argue that replacing this model would require an increase in food prices and ultimately drive customers away, but Fry bucked tradition and began paying his employees a base salary in 2014.

Though Fry has had to increase some menu prices, the shift has enabled him to carry more complicated, but higher return, items due to his experienced staff sticking around. As a result, his revenues have grown by 40% over the past year. Fry is also offering talent development programs and avenues for advancement—further incentive for his employees to remain for the long haul. As Fry states in his interview with Business Insider: Continue reading>

Even the greatest customer service representative will have a tough call from time to time. Perhaps you weren’t able to solve the customer’s issue, or the caller was anxious about an unrelated event—whatever the reason, you complete the call feeling a bit down. When this occurs, it’s important to bounce back fast, so you can make sure to deliver top-notch service to your next caller.

Happiness is great for business: it lowers mistakes, increases sales, motivates employees, and makes clients happy — but how can you make your employees happy? Holiday celebrations are a great start, but what can you do year-round to increase happiness at your company?

Incentive campaigns are one of our favorite tools to help inspire our staff and achieve our goals while having a little fun in the process! Sometimes we have individual prizes; other times employees earn points toward a big group goal, like a catered breakfast. And sometimes we focus on tangible things like accuracy and big picture metrics, but other times we look for more abstract results the lead to the greater good, such as happiness.

These days, exceptional customer service is one of the best ways businesses can differentiate themselves from competitors. According to a survey by ClickFox, 64% of consumers say that a company’s reputation for customer service heavily influences their decision to do business with them, and it’s more important than price in keeping them as a customer. So how can you create WOW-worthy customer service to grow your business? Make your employees happy! Here are three ways a joyful staff can make a big splash:

Our Core Values drive everything we do at Ruby Receptionists, including our benefits. With Creating Community in mind, we launched our Alternative Transportation Incentive to promote a healthier environment for our local community. The program encourages employees at our green virtual receptionist service to take public transportation, bicycle, carpool, or walk to work, and was one of the first benefits at Ruby!

Ever return to your desk after a meeting or lunch break to find a message from someone who is not in a good mood? Responding to a frustrated associate is something most of us dread, but at Ruby®, we see it as an opportunity to make a fantastic impression. For all of our telephone answering, the Ruby crew rarely encounters a frustrated caller, and when we do, our virtual receptionist team snaps into WOWing mode, doing our darndest to turn a tricky situation around. Applying the Ruby spirit when responding to a message is easy — whether you’re a receptionist or CEO, we suggest trying these tips when a colleague, customer, or co-worker is frustrated:

Talk it out. Regardless of whether your associate emailed you or left a voicemail, call or talk face-to-face when emotions are running high — don’t email your associate unless it’s your only option. Conveying a positive tone in email is a lot harder than doing so with your voice. Talking to your associate gives you a better opportunity to exude calmness and kindness, and defuse a touchy situation.